This invention relates to apparatus for loading battery plate groups into a battery box and, in particular, but not exclusively to loading groups for recombination batteries.
Recombination batteries (i.e. batteries in which the hydrogen and oxygen recombine to form water) tend to have separators of mircroporous glass fibre in which the acid electrolyte is fully absorbed. The separator material is extremely delicate and the group has to be loaded into the battery box in a compressed state (and retained in that state by the box) in order to ensure that the electrolyte is in active contact with the plates.
It will readily be appreciated that there are significant difficulties in inserting the compressed group into the battery box cell when that cell is substantially the same size without damaging the separators.
There are also problems in transferring such groups from the processing jig boxes, because the walls in the jig boxes which apply the compression can mark the separators if they do not act over the full separator surface. Accordingly attempts have been made to load the groups directly from the jig box by providing guides on the ends of the jig box walls. However, these guides can only extend partially across the width of the battery cell, because space must be allowed for the transverse supports on which the group elements sit when the jig box is being loaded. The result is that the unguided portions of the groups snag on the box wall.
From one aspect the invention consists in a frame for use in loading groups of battery plates into respective cells in a box, comprising a plurality of spaced walls defining respective group receiving spaces, the walls being moveable away from and towards each other to allow groups to be inserted in the spaces and subsequently grippingly retained therein by the walls, and guide means mounted at the lower end of the walls to locate in the cells and form a continuous surface with the walls characterised in that guide means extend across the full width of the walls, cells or groups.
It is particulary preferred that the frame further comprises stop means for each space insertable between a respective pair of walls into the respective space to locate the bottom edge of a group when it is placed into the space.
From another aspect the invention consists in a frame for use in loading groups of battery plates into respective cells in a box, comprising a plurality of spaced walls defining respective group receiving spaces, the walls being moveable away from and towards each other to allow groups to be inserted into the spaces and subsequently grippingly retained therein by the walls characterised in that it further comprises stop means for each space insertable between a respective pair of walls into the respective space to locate the bottom edge of a group when it is placed into the space.
Conveniently, in either case, the stop means locates the group against downward movement and lateral movement relative to the mid-plane of the group. In any of these cases, the stop means should be removable from the spaces. Thus, for example, the stop means may provide orthogonal abutments and may be rotatable about an axis adjacent to the intersection of the abutments so that the stop means can be rotated into and out of the space. The stop means may also be moveable with or in relation to the walls to maintain their relative location vis-à-vis the walls.
The distance between the group bottom edge location defined by the stop means and the top of its associated walls in preferably greater than the total height of the groups. This prevents any part of the group becoming snagged on the edges of the walls during insertion from the frame.
From yet another aspect the invention consists in battery group loading apparatus including a frame as defined above and further comprising means for loading groups into respective spaces in the frame to sit on the respective stop means, means for moving the walls towards each other to grip the groups between the walls, means for removing the stop means from the spaces, means for engaging a battery box with the guide means and means for pushing the groups through the guide means into the box.
Preferably the means for moving the walls towards each other are designed to exert compressive forces on the groups, in which case this force can be maintained during the operation of the pushing means.
The pushing means may act simultaneously on all the groups and may have heads, each of which may be formed with formations to cooperate with the terminal posts or straps cast on the groups so as to achieve precise location between the head and the group.
From another aspect the invention includes apparatus for unloading a battery group from a jig box including support means for engaging the bottom of a group on a support, whilst the group is held in a jig box, means for releasing the groups within the jig box, means for raising the support to a level at which a substantial portion of a supported group would stand clear of the jig box and means for gripping the raised group. The support may include lateral abutments for preventing sideways movements of the group during raising.
From a further aspect the invention consists in apparatus for unloading groups with cast on straps from a jig box and for loading those groups into a battery box comprising the apparatus for unloading as defined above and the battery group loading apparatus as defined above.
From a still further aspect the invention consists in a method of unloading a battery group from a jig box including engaging the bottom of a group on a support, releasing the grip of the jig box on the group, raising the support and hence the group until a substantial portion of the group is clear of the jig box and gripping the raised group.
The advantage of this method and the associated apparatus defined above, is that, in contrast to existing gripping arrangements (where the groups are gripped through openings in the jig box, whilst the groups are still in the box) is that both the jig box and the gripping means may be provided with gripping surfaces which are continuous over the whole portion which engages the group. This prevents damage and marking of the outside separators.
Although the invention has been defined above, it is to be understood that it includes any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description.